Pork Ribs

part of: Pig

Pork ribs are cut from the rib cage of the pig and come in several styles, with spareribs (from the belly side) and baby back ribs (from the loin side) being the most common. They have a generous ratio of meat to bone and carry enough fat to stay moist through long cooking.

Ribs are one of the defining cuts of barbecue culture and have become a weekend favourite across Australia. They respond best to low-and-slow methods — smoking, braising, or long oven roasting — which break down their connective tissue into a tender, pull-apart texture. A glaze or sauce applied in the final stages adds a sticky, caramelised finish.

American-style barbecue ribs are the most well-known preparation, but pork ribs also feature prominently in Chinese, Korean, and Filipino cuisines.

Farmed
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Pork ribs are separated from the pig carcass during butchering. Spareribs are cut from the belly section after the belly meat is removed, while baby back ribs come from the upper rib area near the loin. The membrane on the bone side may be left on or removed. The rib rack is then portioned into full or half racks and sold fresh or frozen.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 277kcal
Protein 15.5g
Carbs 0g
Fat 23.4g
Fibre 0g Sugar 0g
Mass Distribution

4 oz is about 113 g — roughly 310 kcal of this.

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon 6.78kg
Freshwater 2.2L
Land 350m²

Where it comes from

In the kitchen

Used as

bbq or braised ribs cut

Classic dishes
  • BBQ Spare Ribs
  • St. Louis-Style Ribs
  • Char Siu
  • Slow-Braised Pork Ribs

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Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

SR Legacy

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

Where to next

made fromPig, spareribs goes well withbarbecue sauce goes well withbrown sugar goes well withapple cider vinegar goes well withsoy sauce goes well withgarlic goes well withginger shares a sourceBacon shares a sourceGround Pork shares a sourceHam shares a sourceHot Dogs & Frankfurters shares a sourceLuncheon Meats shares a sourcePork Belly shares a sourcePork Chops & Steaks shares a sourcePork Extremities & Odd Bits
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